Contemporary Moral Problems

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This excellent collection of topically organized articles with chapter introductions, cases, and end-of-chapter study questions and resources provides an accessible yet philosophically honest and balanced introduction to the world of moral issues.

Preface

vii

Chapter One: Ethical Theories

1

(118)

Introduction

2

(7)

James Rachels

Egoism and Moral Scepticism

9

(9)

John Arthur

Religion, Morality, and Conscience

18

(9)

Friedrich Nietzsche

Master-and Slave-Morality

27

(4)

Mary Midgley

Trying Out One's New Sword

31

(5)

John Stuart Mill

Utilitarianism

36

(7)

Immanuel Kant

The Categorical Imperative

43

(6)

Onora O'Neill

A Simplified Account of Kant's Ethics

49

(6)

Aristotle

Happiness and Virtue

55

(10)

Ronald Dworkin

Taking Rights Seriously

65

(7)

Charlotte Bunch

Women's Rights as Human Rights: Toward a Re-Vision of Human Rights

72

(10)

John Rawls

A Theory of Justice

82

(7)

Annette C. Baier

The Need for More Than Justice

89

(8)

Virginia Held

Feminist Transformations of Moral Theory

97

(17)

Problem Cases

114

(2)

Suggested Readings

116

(3)

Chapter Two: Abortion

119

(86)

Introduction

120

(6)

The Supreme Court: Roe v. Wade (1973)

126

(10)

John T. Noonan, Jr.

An Almost Absolute Value in History

136

(6)

Judith Jarvis Thomson

A Defense of Abortion

142

(10)

Mary Anne Warren

On the Moral and Legal Status of Abortion

152

(12)

Don Marquis

An Argument That Abortion Is Wrong

164

(12)

Celia Wolf-Devine

Abortion and the "Feminine Voice"

176

(10)

Ronnie Zoe Hawkins

Reproductive Choices: The Ecological Dimension

186

(13)

Problem Cases

199

(3)

Suggested Readings

202

(3)

Chapter Three: Euthanasia and Sustaining Life

205

(40)

Introduction

206

(4)

James Rachels

Active and Passive Euthanasia

210

(5)

Daniel Callahan

Killing and Allowing to Die

215

(3)

Peter Singer

Justifying Voluntary Euthanasia

218

(6)

John Harris

The Survival Lottery

224

(6)

Susan Sherwin

Gender, Race, and Class in the Delivery of Health Care

230

(10)

Problem Cases

240

(2)

Suggested Readings

242

(3)

Chapter Four: Capital Punishment

245

(54)

Introduction

246

(4)

The Supreme Court: Gregg v. Georgia (1976)

250

(11)

Immanuel Kant

The Retributive Theory of Punishment

261

(2)

Ernest van den Haag

On Deterrence and the Death Penalty

263

(10)

Jeffrey H. Reiman

Justice, Civilization, and the Death Penalty

273

(11)

Anthony G. Amsterdam

Capital Punishment

284

(11)

Problem Cases

295

(1)

Suggested Readings

296

(3)

Chapter Five: Sexuality

299

(38)

Introduction

300

(3)

The Vatican: Declaration on Sexual Ethics

303

(6)

Alan Goldman

Plain Sex

309

(13)

John Finnis

Homosexual Conduct Is Wrong

322

(3)

Martha Nussbaum

Homosexual Conduct Is Not Wrong

325

(2)

Robin West

The Harms of Consensual Sex

327

(5)

Problem Cases

332

(2)

Suggested Readings

334

(3)

Chapter Six: Pornography and Hate Speech

337

(76)

Introduction

338

(4)

John Stuart Mill

On Liberty

342

(5)

Catharine MacKinnon

Pornography, Civil Rights, and Speech

347

(7)

Barry Lynn

Pornography and Free Speech: The Civil Rights Approach

354

(8)

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